Nut-tapping machine.



0. A. SMITH. NUT TAPPING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED APR.21,1911.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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NUT TAPPING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED APR.21,1911.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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NUT TAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21,1911.

1,056,065. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR A. SMITH, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR To THE nATIoNA -AcMn ntAittr FACTURING COMPANY, OFCLEVELAND, 01110, A coarona'rron or OHIO.

. vUT-TAPPING MACHINE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April21, 1911. Serial No.'622, 185.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahog a and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Tapping Machines, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to nut tapping. machines, the object of the invention being to provide an improved machine of this character comparatively simple in construction and very rapid in its operation and effective in its Work, and in which the tap will be supported and held'by the nuts thereon after the tapping operation and before-delivery from the discharge end of the tap, the machine in the present embodiment being constructed for use with the tap shown and described in my contemporaneously pending application Serial No. 603,811, filed January21, 1911, for improvementsin nutwtaps, In the drawings accompanying and forniing part of this specification, Flgure 1 is a front view of this improved nut tapping machine; Fig. 2 is a side, partly sectional, view of the same; Fig. 3 is a top, partly sectional, View; Fi 4 1s" a cross-sectional view of a part of t e operating mechanism for the rotary table; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of part of such rotary table; Fi 6 is a sectional view of such table showing it adapted for use with a different form of nut; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailview of one of the nut receiving openings in the table shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a view of the nut holding plunger shown -'in Fig. -6;

and Fig.9 is a perspective view of the 1mproved upright nut tapping machine.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the-figures of the drawings.

The operating mechanism of this proved machine is carried by a suitable standard 2 having a supporting base 3, the standard being constructed at its upper end to form a housing 4 for parts of theoperating mechanism. The tap 5 is mounted in a suitable tube or holder 6 carried by the enlarged tubular ends of a spindle 7 having a keyway 8 permitting the spindle to be reciprocated up and down. I

Located in a projecting portion 9 of the housing, and keyed on'this spindle is a pin ion 10' in mesh with a gear 11 carried by a shaft 12 suitably journaled in the top and bottom of the housing. On this shaft 12 is a bevel gear 13 in mesh with a bevel gear 14 carried by a horizontallylocated shaft 15 likewise suitably supported in the housing and the outer end of which is provided with a driving pulley 16 for the reception of a suitable belt. By this means the tap holder and the tap carried thereby are rotated at a very rapidspeed, determined by the ratio of the ears 10'and 11 and the speedat which t e driving pulleytis rotated.

Located below the tap is a rotatable table or nut-blank receiving platen 17 having secured thereto a disk provided with a circular series of nut-blank openings 18, shown in Fig. (as of hexagonal shape, and in each of these openings a nut-blank is placed by the operator as the table is indexed or m; tated. For rotating this table suitable ratchet mechanism is provided, this consist ing of a'ratchet wheel 19 secured adjacent to the lower end of the shaft or spindle 2O Patented Mar. 1s,1913.-

osclllatory'arm 23 mounted on the spindle carrying the table. The opposite end of this arm is connected by a link 24 with a bellcrank lever 25' pivotally connected with the standard and operated by a cam 26 carried by a vertically located shaft 27 supported at its upper and lower ends by projecting brackets 28 and 29 from the standard, the shaft 27 beingrotated by a bevel gear27 carried thereon in mesh with a bevel gear 27 secured on the end of a shaft hereinafter referred to. This cam 26 is provided with a set of cams or cam members 30 for operating the .bell crank lever and thereby rotating the table inthe manner described, a

suitable spring 82 being provided for returning the bell-crank lever to its normal position.

' The underside of the table is provided a with a toothed ring 33, cooperating with which is a spring pressed bolt 34 carried by a bracket 85 on the'standard, and this'bolt-is effective to lock the table at each indexing thereof. The teeth of this toothed ring correspond in number with the number of blank receiving pockets in the rotatable table or nut blank carrier. Carried by an overhanging arm extending from the standard is a spring pressed plunger 40, pressing against a plunger 36 having a crotch or U-shaped portion 37 into which extends a roller 38 carried by a rock arm 39 supported on the each nut-blank in standard, the opposite end of which rock arm is in position to be engaged by cams 31 on the shaft 27, whereby after each nut blank is tapped one of the cams 31 is carried into position to engage this rock arm and so shift the plunger 36 and release the same from the action of the spring actuated plunger 40 and so move it from its gripping or holding position as hereinafter explained.

When hexagonal or square nuts ,are to be tapped the table disk will be provided with openings of this form, which thus serve to hold the blanks against turning. When this form of blank holder is used the plunger 36 simply acts as an extra locating device, it

having its end machined to enter stations or serrations formed on the edge of the table, there being as many stations as there are blank holding openings. When, however, a round nut blank is to be tapped a disk "43 having circular openings will be provided,

' and in this construction suitable toothed plungers 44 will be provided for holding position, the plunger being located in the table so as to engage the side of the blank as shown in Fig. 6 and to project at the outer edge of the table. In this form of blank holder the end of the plunger 36 is left fiat so that it will press against the end of each toothed plunger 44 as the table is indexed and so hold the round 2 blank in position to be tapped. For adjusting the nuts depthwise relatively to the table an adjusting screw 42 is provided at the underside of the nut. This will also permit different depths of nuts to be positioned. in the table.

tap holder and thereby the tap during the rotation thereof. This cam is fixed to a shaft 49 horizontally supported in the hous.

ing carrying the bevel gear 27 hereinbefore referred to, and this shaft 49 is rotated by a worm wheel 50 fixed thereto and in mesh with a worm 51 carried by a shaft 52 also mounted in the housing, and which worm shaft receives motion through the medium of a gear 53 mounted thereon and in mesh with an idler gear 54 to which motion is imparted by a gear 55 mounted on the shaft 12 between the gear 11 and the bevel gear 18. This-idler gear is carried by a suitable shiftable arm so that when the gear 53 is changed the gears can be always perfectly meshed. A similarly supported shoe to that hereinbefore described fits into the grooved collar of the tap holder spindle, this shoe being carried by a rock arm 71 suitably pivoted to the standard, the opposite end thereof carrying a counterbalancing'weight 72 for the tap spindle and its holder. This Weight is usually a little lighter than the spindle and acts as a balance Weight. V

From the foregoing it will be perceived that the weight of the tap spindle will nor mally carry the tap into position to engage a nut-blank during the rotation ofthe tap and that when such blank has been properly threaded the cam is rotated into position to engage the rock arm 47 and thereby lift the tap, which, on the passage of the cam surface from the rock arm, will immediately descend to permit it to engage another nutblank which in the meantime has been carried into position under the tap.

The tap 5 as shown herein comprises a threaded end or head (31 having a straight portion or shank 62 terminating in a deflected portion 63 of large radial curvature which constitutes the crank by means of which, through the medium of the nuts, the tap is rotated, and this tap is mountedin the tubular holder hereinbefore described and having lts inclosmg part of the same formation as the tap, the holder-being of larger diameter than the tap so as to provide proper room for the passage of the nuts along the shank of the tap, the holder leing also of greater length than the tap. By rotating the holder in the manner hereinbe-' fore set forth the tap is rotated through the medium of the nuts intermediate such tap and the holder in a manner which will be readily understood. In practice this tubular holder is slotted, as at 65, as is also the enlarged end of the spindle, thereby to permit ready access to the passing nuts if for. any reason this is necessary and also for the purpose of permitting the proper setting and adjustment of the tap, especially in those cases where the nuts-are comparatively small and where the diameter of the holder will therefore be likewise comparatively small. holder is also of tubular form for the pas: sage of the nut-blanks from the tap, and in practice a suitable wire, as 66, may lead down into the spindle the desired distance to receive the nuts from the tap as they are fed upward through the spindle by each successively tapped nut-blank.

The spindle carrying this a The several mechanisms herein described are suitably timed so that on each indexing ery tapped the tap will be, by the cam hereinbefore referred to, raised 'to permit another indexing of the table, the blanks being fed to the openings provided in the table in the manner hereinbefore described, so that the table openings may be kept full of blanks and each successively and rapidly tapped. v i

From the foregoing it will be observed that this improved nut tapping machine permits the continuous operation of the tap 52 without any loss'of time due to the necessity of removing the tapped blanks 'from the tap intermediate the tapping operations, and that the tap itself has a continuous rotary movement and an intermittent reciprocatory movement while the blanks are fed thereto by a rotary table, the organization being such that nut-blanks can be rapidly tapped, while the mechanismis very much simplified in comparison with. that which has heretofore been necessary for doing the. same character of work. 1

In practice the rotating table is support-- ed within a circular casting 100 carried by the standard and having formed therewith a suitable pan or trough 101,-see Fig. 9. The enlarged end of the spindle is bored to the size of the curved tap tube orholder, this being determined by the largest blank the machine is capable of tapping and by the length of the curve of the tube. Beyond the upper end of the tap tube or. holder the spindle is bored to accord with the diameter of the largest blank the machine is capable of operating upon. This thus leaves a shoulderat the upper end of the enlarged portion of the spindle against which the tap tube'is clamped by means of a clamping collar nut 102.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided an improved upright nut -t-apping machine in which various forms of blanks may be readily and quickly tapped by one and the same machine, and in which as each blank is brought into alinement with the tap by means of the'indexin mechanism hereinbefore explained the spindle-carrying the tap drops by its own weight, thus allowing the ta toengage the blank. The instant the threaded portion' of the tap has passed through the blank the plunger 36 is released from the action of. the spring plunger 40, whereupon the table may be indexed at the same time that the spindle is raised by the means hereinbefor referred to, carrying the tapped nut-blank with the tap. This continuous operation causes the nuts to travel off the tap and up the spindle, over the wire, and into a suitable receptacl on the floor, the operations being carried out in practice very rapidly.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a nut tappingmachine, the combination of a vertically supported tap holder, a crank-formed tap carried thereby, means for automatically lifting the tap holder and permitting it -to descend by gravity, and means for rotating said tap holder and thereby the tap through the medium of the tapped nuts.

- 2. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a vertically supported tap holder,

a crank-formed tap carried thereby, means for automatically lifting the tap holder and permitting it to descend by gravity, means for rotating said tap holder and thereby the tap through the medium of the tapped nuts, means located below the tap for feeding blanks thereto, and means located above the tap for receiving the tapped blanks.

3. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a vertically supported tap holder, a crank-formed tap carried thereby, means for automaticallylifting the tap holder and permittingit to descend by gravity, means for rotating said tap holder and thereby the tap through the medium of the tapped nuts, means located below said tap for feeding blanks thereto, and means for automatically and intermittently shifting the tap holder and blank feeding means in a horizontal rotary path one relatively to the other.

,4. In a nut tapping machine, the'combination of a vertically supported counterbalanced tap holder, a crank-formed tap carried thereby, cam actuated means for automatically lifting the tap holder and permitting it to descend by gravity, means -for rotating said tap holder and thereby the tap through the medium of'the tapped blanks, and means for automatically and intermittently shifting the top holder and blank feeding means in a horizontal rotary path one relatively to the other.

5 In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a vertically supported tap holder, a crank-formed ta carried thereby, means for reciprocating the tap holder, means for rotating said tap holder and thereby the tap through-the medium of the tapped nuts,

means locatedbelow said tap for feeding blanks thereto, means for automatically and intermittently shifting the tap holder and blank feeding means in a horizontal path one. relatively to the other, and meansfor holding said intermittently rotatable means against movement intermediate its intermittent shifting' movements.

6. In a nut tapping machine, the combi nation of a reciprocatory and rotatable tap holder, means" for intermittently reciprocatnation-of a reciprocatory and rotatable tap holder, means for reciprocating the tap holder in a vertical path, means for rotating it during its reciprocatory movements, and a nut tap carried by said holder and having a curved discharge end and rotated by the holder through the medium of the tapped nuts carried by the tap.

8. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a vertically supported reciprocatory and rotatable tap holder, means for intermittently reciprocating the tap holder, means for rotating it, a crank formed ta carried by said holder and rotated by the holder through the medium of the tapped nuts carried thereby, and a horizontal rotary table located under the tap holder and hav ing a series of blank pockets in its upper surface for feeding nut blanks successively to the tap.

9. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a reciprocatory and rotatable hollow spindle, a tap holder carried thereby, a. crank formed tap carried by the holder and rotatable by such holder through the medium of the tapped nuts, means for intermittently reciprocating the spindle 'andits holder, and means for continuously rotating such spindle and holder, the nuts being discharged from the outer end of the spindle.

10. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a reciprocatory'and rotatable hollOW spindle, a tap holder carried thereby, a crank formed tap carried by the holder and rotatable by such holder through the medium of the tapped nuts, means for intermittently reciprocating the spindle and its holder, means for continuously rotating such spindle and holder, the nuts being discharged from theouter end of the spindle, and'means projecting into said spindle for receiving the nuts.

11. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a reciprocatory and rotatable hollow spindle, a tap holder carried thereby, a crank'formed tap carried by the holder and rotatable by such holder through the medium of the tapped nuts, means for intermittently reciprocating the spindle and its holder, means for continuously rotating such spindle and holder, the nuts being discharged from the outer end of the spindle, and means projecting into, said spindle for receiving the nuts and comprising a Wire.

12. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a reciprocatory' and rotatable hollow spindle, a tap holder carried thereby, a crank-formed tap carried by the holder and rotatable by such holder through the medium of the tapped nuts, means for intermittently reciprocating the spindle and its holder, means for continuously rotating suich spindle and holder, the nuts bein discharged from the outer end of the spindle, means projecting into said spindle for receiving the nuts, means for feeding blanks to the tap at the lower end thereof, and means for intermittently shifting the tap holder and the blank feeding means one relatively to the other in a horizontal lane.

13. The combination of a horizonta ly located rotatable table adapted to carry a series of blanks, ratchet mechanism for intermittently rotating said table, a spring controlled reciprocatory bolt for looking it at each indexing of the table, and an automatically operative reciprocatory plunger for successively holding the several JlfiIlkS against movement in the table and brought into operation on each indexing of the table.

14. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a vertically supported reciprocatory and rotatable tap holder adapted to carry a tap, means for reciprocating the tap holder, means for rotating it, a crank formed tap carried by said holder and rotated thereby through the medium of the tapped nuts, and a hollow spindle carrying said holder and from the outer end of which the nuts pass.

15. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of an intermittently reciprocatory and rotatable tubular tap holder, and a\ tap .carried thereby and having its opposite end portions extending in the same general direction but out'of the same axial line and having an intermediate deflected portion merging into said end port-ions, the tap being rotated by the holder through the medium of the tapped blanks.

16. The combination of a rotary table for feeding blanks and having a plurality of blank openings, a series of plungers carried by said table and corresponding in number With said openings, and means for successively engaging said plungers to hold the blanks against movement in their openings.

17-. The combination of means for feeding blanks and having a plurality of blank openings, and a single automatically operative means for all of saidopenings for successively holding the blanks against movement in their openings and comprising a reciprocatory plunger.

18. The combination of means for feeding blanks and having aplurality of blank openings, and a single automatically operative means for all of said openings for successively holding the blanks against movement in their openings and comprising a spring pressed, cam actuated reciprocatory plunger.

19. The combination of a rotatable blank table, means for rotating it, said table having openings for the reception of blanks,

\ plungers located in said table for holding end thereof, means effective to raise and said blanks against movement, and automatically operative means for successively engaging said plungers.

20. The combination of a rotatable blank table, means for rotating it, said table having openings for the reception, of blanks, plungers located in said. table for holding said blanks against movement, and spring pressed and cam actuated means for automatically and successively engaging said plungers.

21. The combination of a rotatable blank carrier, means for rotating it, said carrier having openings for the reception of the blanks, plungers located in said carrier, one for each blank opening, for holding said blanks against movement, each of said plun:

gers having a serrated end, and means for successively engaging said plungers on the rotation of said carrier to hold the blanks successively in their tapping position.

22, In an automatic nut tap-ping machine, the combination of a standard, a vertically supported hollow tap holder spindle carried thereby and having a grooved collar, a camactuated oscillatory arm having a shoe working in said groove for raising said spindle,

anda similarly supported arm carrymg a weight and having a shoe also working in said groove.

23. The combination of a horizontally located table having a series of blank receiving openings, cam actuated ratchet mechanism for intermittently rotating saidtable, the ratchet thereof having a series of teeth corresponding in number with the number of blank openings, means for holding the table in its indexed position, a series of plungers carried by the table one for each blank opening, and a single means for successively engaging all of saidplungers.

24. In' an automatic nut'tapping machine,

the combination of a standard, a vertically supported hollow tap holder spindle carried thereby, a tap holder at the lowerend thereof adapted to carry a crank-formed tap I effective to feed the tapped blanks through the spindle and out therefrom at the upper lower the tap, and means for rotating it.

25. In an automatic nut tapping machine, the combination of a standard, a vertically supported hollow tap holder spindle carried thereby and having a tap holder at its lower end adapted to carry a crank-formed tap effective to discharge tapped blanksthrough the spindle and out from the upper end thereof, means for automatically raising the tap holder and thereby the tap and permitting it to descend by gravity, and means for rotating the tap holder.

26. In an automatic nut tapping machine, the combination of a standard, a vertically supported hollow tap holder spindle carried thereby and having a tap. holder at its lower end adapted to carry a crank-formed tap effective to discharge tapped blanks through the spindle and out from the upper end -thereof,vmeans for raising and lowering the tap holder and thereby the tap a blank carrier, and means for rotating the tapfand blank carrier one relatively to the other.

, 27. Inan automatic nut tapping machine, the combination of a standard, a vertically supported hollow tap holder spindle carried thereby and having a tap holder at its lower end adapted to carry a crank-formed tap effective to discharge tapped blanks through the spindle and out from the upper end thereof, means for reciprocating the tap holder and thereby the tap a blank carrier, means' for rotating the tap and blank carrier one relatively to the other, and means for carrying the tap and carrier into position to tapsuccessive blanks one relatively to the other, a

28. An automatic nut tapping machine comprising a' vertically supported reciprocatory, and rotatable tap holder, a crankformed tap carried thereby, means for automatically reciprocating and rotating the tap holder, a horizontally located rotatable table supported underthe tap for feeding blanks to the tap and having a series of blank carrying pockets in its upper surface whereby a plurality of blanks may be positioned in readiness to be tapped before they reach the tap, means for automatically indexing the table step-by step, and me'ansfor automatically looking it at each indexing of the table. 7

29. In anut tapping machine the combination of a vertically supported reciprocatory v and rotatable tap holder, a crankformed tap carried by such holder and rotated thereby through the medium of the tapped nuts, means for reciprocating the tap holder, means for rotating it, a hollow spindle carrying said holder and from the outer end of which the nuts pass, and means for carrying a series of blanks iri'a horizontal circular path step by step beneath the tap and co-nstructed topermit the loading of the blanks while the tapping operation is proceeding and so that a plurality of blanks will be positioned in readiness to be tapped prior to reaching the tap.

, 30. In a nut tapping machine, the combination of a vertically supported intermittently reciprocatory and rotatable crankfermedcap, means for reciprocating it,

means for rotatingit, means for feeding tap holder, a hollow spindle located to supfed blanks froin the upper end of said tap port at its lower end the tap holder, a crankthrough said spindle. in formed tap carried and rotated by said tap Signed at Cleveland, Ohio, this 19th day holder through the medium of the tapped of April, 1911.

nuts, means for reciprocating said tap OSCAR A. SMITH. holder and spindle, means for rotating i=3. lVitnesses: means for feeding blanks to the lower end A. B. BREEZE,

of said tap, and means for receiving said A. E. HENN. 

